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We all know the kinds of effects that stress can have on our bodies – headaches, muscle tension, digestive issues, just to name a few. But what a lot of people don’t realize is that their stress can also have a dramatic impact on their pets. Animals always seem to be aware when their humans are stressed aboutsomething. Has your cat ever walked across your keyboard right when you were in the middle of typing up an important email? Has your dog ever started barking or become especially playful while you were watching a tense scene in a movie? Animals. Just. Know.

Painting is one of the things that mellows me out.

And because animals are as sensitive and as intuitive as they are, it’s not uncommon for them to develop health issues due to living with stressed out humans. This is why it’s so important for us humans not just to treat the physical symptoms of our stress, but to address the stress itself. It might mean refusing to bring work home at the end of the day, taking up a yoga practice, going for walks in nature, or…. spending more time with our animals!

For about 4 years I was working full time in a jail (talk about stressful environments!) and this past June I finally left my job to do what I really love – working with animals and their humans to help them live the healthiest, happiest lives possible. For me, leaving my job was something I had to do not just for myself – it was also in the best interests of my animal friends.

I’ve heard more than a few people make the comment that some stress is good, or “You need a little bit of stress in your life – it’s healthy“. Well, I for one never feel as good when I’m stressed out as I do when I’m at peace. And you know what? The animals agree.

❤

Avril

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The language animals use is one that we all use from the time that we’re in the womb. It comes to us as naturally as breathing, but is something that we’re socialized out of as humans by our caretakers. The language, one that is spoken and understood by all living beings, is that of telepathy. Even though most humans forget early on how to communicate telepathically, it’s a skill and an ability that anyone can relearn at any age.

“Let’s have a chat, shall we?”

When I began relearning to speak to animals, it opened up a completely new world for me. It felt like all of my suspicions about magic being real were suddenly confirmed and anything was possible. One of my biggest realizations was how alike animals and humans really are and, as a result, I started to look at my pets in a completely new way. I’ve always loved my non-human friends but being able to have in-depth, meaningful conversations with them helped me to recognize that their range of emotions is every bit as complex as that of a human. It helped me see that they too have conflicting desires and needs, and helped me understand the depth of their feelings for their human families. It enabled me to view animals in the same light that I view my fellow humans.

When a person relearns how to talk to animals, one of the biggest side effects is that they begin treating them with more respect, dignity and compassion. They come to realize the importance of all species on this planet. And that’s what the world needs more of – people who understand and appreciate animals for the intricate, intelligent, sentient beings that they are. The world needs more people who see that animals have just as much right to live on this planet as we do and that they deserve to have their needs met, too. We need more people who realize that the existence of the human race depends on the continued existence of the non-human races.

We need more people who are willing to relearn how to converse with animals.

I have a special treat for you this week 😉 I thought it would be sort of cool to give you a taste of what it’s like to speak with an animal. This weekend I had some one-on-one time with my dog and got his permission to share his a’s to my q’s with the human world. (“Really!?!? You would tell them you can talk to me?!!”)

*Before we get into it, I just want to clarify that I’m not an Animal Communicator/ Animal Psychic. I do use animal communication in my sessions, but I don’t do full sessions where I’m just communicating with an animal. My sessions are what some of us in the holistic community like to refer to as ‘blended sessions’ – they include a variety of holistic energy therapy modalities (Reiki, Body Scans, Crystal Therapy, Animal Communication, etc.). The reason I decided to go this route is that it offers the best possible chance of helping a human get to the core of their animal companion’s issues. You can’t always determine why a cat is spraying all over the house, or why a horse is behaving aggressively, or why a dog tears up the floors and walls simply by talking to them. Sometimes you can… but sometimes you need to have other tools in your kit.*

The following is my conversation with my dog, Dolce.

I’ll have to ask him next time if he likes having his picture taken…

Me: What do you think of all the decorations Mom and Taryn put up?

Dolce: They’re nice – they make the place sparkly.

Me: Why do you try to take the icicles? (Dolce likes to steal the sparkly plastic icicle decorations off the Christmas tree when we’re not looking.)

Dolce: I don’t know… I like them.

Me: What about eating them satisfies you?

Dolce: The way they snap like twigs. I like the crunch.

Me: Was it you who twisted the table cloth on the small table in the living room the other day? Did you try pulling it down?

Dolce: It wasn’t me.

Me: No…?

Dolce: No, I didn’t do it. (I can tell that he’s telling the truth.)

Me: Do you get really bored around here?

Dolce: Not usually – just when you guys are away.

Me: How are your hind legs feeling? (He’s been getting sudden, sharp pains shooting through his legs every so often for the past couple of months.)

Dolce: They’re pretty good.

Me: Are they still hurting you?

Dolce: Seems to have gone away, now.

Me: Why do you lick your paws so much, lately?

Dolce: Because they’re so itchy! I can’t stand it!

Me: Do you like the special water I give you? (Every once in a while, I give him some crystal elixir water along with his regular water dish.)

Dolce: Sometimes I do; sometimes I don’t. (This makes senses – he doesn’t always drink it, but other times he licks the bowl dry.)

Me: Do you prefer the company of big dogs or little dogs? (Dolce shows me an image of a big dog – a Golden Retriever. To him, this would be a big dog, because Dolce is a 15 lbs Shi-Poo.)

Me: Why?

Dolce: Because they’re stronger than me.

Me: Why is that good? (Dolce shows an image of the big dog standing in front of him, protecting him.)

Me: Do you ever wish you had a girlfriend?

Dolce: Maaaayyybbeeeee…..

Me: What would she be like?

Dolce: Small and curious and fun to be around…

Me: What else?

Dolce: I don’t know – that’s a trouble question.

Me: Why?

Dolce: Because I don’t know what I want. I haven’t met enough dogs my own age to know what I like.

Me: What have you liked about the dogs you have met?

Dolce: Shy, curious, playful/ play back (he means that when he is feeling playful, they play with him – there’s one dog in the neighbourhood who doesn’t “play back”), let me follow them around/ let me onto their territory…

Me: What have you liked about the cats you’ve met?

Dolce: The cats? Cats are a whole different breed!

Me: I know, but still… what have you liked about them?

Dolce: Cats let me onto their territory in a way that dogs never will.

Me: What else?

Dolce: They can climb trees all the way to the top! They’re really mischievous and agile.

Me: Is there anything you want humans to know?

Dolce: Show me some respect. Dogs can handle anything. We’re good people. If you’re good to us, we’ll be good to you.

Me: Is there anything you want me to know?

Dolce: (He puts his face really close to mine and whispers) Feed me more often. The good stuff. (We feed him the amount of raw food recommended by our veterinarian. I think he’s asking for more treats here because we’ve been cutting back on those lately, in an effort to get him to lose weight.)